‘Glee,’ Season 4, Episode 11, ‘Sadie Hawkins’: TV Recap

Welcome back Gleeks! Did you enjoy the winter hiatus? I hope you are keeping warm, especially if you live in the Northeast, where it’s approximately 12 degrees outside. This episode features a Sadie Hawkins dance – something my high school did not do. (For those of you who don’t know, traditionally a Sadie Hawkins dance means a girl will ask the boy to the dance). Also, Sam thinks the Warblers cheated at Sectionals, we learn more about Blaine pre-New Directions, there’s more Rachel/Brody and Kurt meets a cute upperclassman at NYADA. And Lauren Zizes returns! Let’s get started.

Sam thinks the Warblers cheated at Sectionals, and even though there’s no evidence, he will FIND evidence! Sam’s lips (aw, Trouty Mouth!) get all chapped and he asks Blaine to borrow Chapstick, and now Blaine is in love with Sam.

There’s a a Student Council meeting! Plot continuity! Blaine is president, Sam is vice president, Tina is secretary and Sugar is treasurer. Tina has the great idea – there’s 142 days until prom and since that means all the hot girls and hot guys will be taken, leaving only the nerds hoping to get asked, she proposes a Sadie Hawkins dance (it was the topic of the last meeting of the Too Young to be Bitter Club, whose members include Lauren, Becky, Brittany, Sugar, and a few others I don’t recognize). Blaine isn’t all for it, but Tina wants to know why the guys always have all the power when it comes to dances. The vote passes, the dance is on.

The guys feel “totally powerless” and are worried that they won’t be asked at all. The teachers are busy trying to beat Coach Beiste at arm wrestling…that can’t happen. Finn tells her he feels like the Fugees (or refugees) and she suggests that Finn use the Sadie Hawkins dance as a point of inspiration. So this week in Glee Club it’s “lady’s choice” inspired by the dance, so all the girls will sing to whoever they want to take the dance. Kitty is eyeing up Jake, of course.

Tina goes first and goes with “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” – from Jesus Christ Superstar. It’s about unrequited love. (In the play, Mary Magdalene sings it [presumably] about Jesus. We see she means Blaine. Does she not remember Blaine was most recently Kurt’s boyfriend and before that had a boyfriend who worked at The Gap? There is confusion all around. (But it must be said, Tina sounds great). She asks Blaine to the dance and his response: “I don’t know what to say. No, thank you, but no thank you.” She’s crestfallen. (Side note – ew, they practice in the guys’ locker room? That’s SERIOUSLY the only open classroom in the entire school? Wait, that’s not even a classroom. Are there no classrooms?!).

Brittany introduces herself to and gives her advice on Jake. (Best line: “If it’s quiet enough, I can hear you whimpering like a suckling puppy.”) Marley says that after Sectionals Jake started acting weird and stopped calling her. Brittany advises her to find her power. So all the girls put on sky blue dresses and sing “Tell Him” (the Exciters). Brittany’s voice is never the strongest and it’s quite the contrast to Marley’s, but the number is fun, and makes a lot more sense in the context of the show than the other 2 songs we’ve seen so far. At the end Marley asks Jake to the dance and he says yes. (Kitty looks less than pleased). Brittany asks Sam and he (in his Yoda voice) says yes. Ryder looks worried but a cheerleader in a neck brace smiles at him, so maybe nothing to worry about.

Mean Kitty is back. She tells Jake to “dump the bulimic loser and go to the Sadie Hawkins dance” with her. Even though she’s friends with Marley, Kitty plans to “gas light her” every chance she gets. “Good luck getting past first base with that girl,” Kitty advises, and then says she can offer Jake a lot more and won’t be the good Christian girl anymore. “You have needs, are you really sure Marley is up for the job?”

Tina apologizes to Blaine, and asks for one too. She says that was the most humiliating moment that’s ever happened to her in Glee Club, and that’s saying something. But Tina also reveals that Blaine was bullied at a Sadie Hawkins dance his pre-Dalton school. Blaine says that’s not the reason he can’t go to the dance with her — he has a crush on someone and doesn’t want to go to a dance where everyone will be romantic but him. “It’s a guy and he’s straight and he doesn’t know that I like him.” Tina demands Blaine tell — and it’s Sam. Blaine is proud that the gay guy can be friends with a straight guy. Blaine and Tina bond over Sam’s lips and his impressions. Tina says she’ll go to the dance with Blaine as best friends and have the most fun night ever!

Speaking of Sam, he’s not letting go of his belief that the Warblers cheated. He thinks Hunter Clarington did HGH (Human Growth Hormone) because his head is so much thicker now. (He cites Cedric the Entertainer and Kirstie Alley and Mark McGuire as examples).

Jake goes to Puck for advice. Puck says “as long as you’re getting on base you’re in a position to score.” Jake says he’s not even getting on base (with Marley) and Kitty invited him to the Home Run Derby. Puck says he’s the hitting coach and he’s waving Puck off Kitty. “It’s sure to ruin your life.” Puck has had every flavor of Cheerio you can have and it didn’t mean anything, and Jake has to resist the Jesus-loving little devil. “Don’t worry little brother from a different colored mother.”

Puck tells Kitty to stay away from Jake. “He’s not interested in your stinky meow-mix.” “Didn’t you graduate, barely?” Kitty asks snarkily. “Don’t you have to spell to be a writer?” after which Puck spells alone incorrectly. Ah Puck. Kitty tells Puck that she doesn’t like Jake, she’s just a mean hot b—- who likes to get what she wants. So she can’t go to the dance alone, she asks Puck to go. “It’s depressing you hang around school but you’re just hot enough to pull it off.” Vintage Puckerman is better…Puck says since it’s Sadie Hawkins, Kitty has to pay for everything, and if she wants to “get all up in this, I expect to be fed.” Ugh. *Eye roll*

The dance is a winter wonderland, since Sadie Hawkins dances are sometimes called “Snowballs.” It looks pretty good. The dance starts off with The boys (Artie, Blaine, Ryder, Sam and Joe) singing “No Scrubs” (TLC). Ha. I like it. Everyone is dancing. All the guys have the chance for a little solo — these are my favorite numbers.

Jake tells Marley that she’s awesome and Marley tells Jake that she really likes him, but she’s worried about being hurt. “You’re safe with me, how can I convince you?” he asks. Marley says she needs him to be with only her and to take things slow. “If you can agree to that, I think we can have the best time, but if not, I’m sorry, I just can’t.” I like how she’s upfront and honest about what she wants. She’s not leading him on or promising anything she isn’t ready to give. I like strong Marley!

There’s a group of single ladies sitting in the bleachers, including Lauren and Sugar. Coach Beiste (who rode a buffalo at the state fair) tells them to not be wallflowers. “Life isn’t about waiting to be asked…get out there and get what’s yours. The worst they can say is no.” To a teenager No is the worst, only in hindsight does one realize No isn’t the end of the world. Well, Lauren and Sugar go out there together to claim what’s theirs………

At the same time, this is happening in NYC:

Kurt breaks the hierarchy at NYADA down for us. The stage-combat majors are the jocks, the classical acting majors are the nerds, the ballet dancers are the mean girls and once again he’s at the bottom. Kurt is disappointed that Rachel is always with Brody so he looks into extracurriculars and finds “Adam’s Apples.” That’s a show choir, in case you were wondering.

Things are going well with Brody and Rachel, he even stayed over! “Scandalized!” Kurt says. Rachel really likes Brody and is tired of second guessing herself. She advises Kurt against joining this Adam’s Apples show choir because show choir is the lowest of the low, it’s beneath stage managers and carpenters. “It’s social and career suicide!” “We’re not at McKinley any more,” she advises. If Kurt joins this show choir, he’s going to be doomed to a life of being a dancing tea pot at Disney Land! Gasp!

Kurt ponders this decision. He ponders this more than he pondered moving to New York, I think. Then we meet the infamous Adam, founder (and senior) of the show choir. Adam is played by Oliver Kieran-Jones and has an adorable British accent. Adam tells Kurt that his winter showcase was “breath-taking.” “We need you, we want you,” Adam tells Kurt, and invites him to hear the group sing. They…sing “Baby Got Back” (Sir Mix-a-Lot). This is quite a group. Everyone is different. While I cannot say I like the group’s rendition of this song (it’s almost like a slow-dance-type-jingle-thing), I enjoy the concept of the group. I do hope that if Kurt joins the group, this doesn’t come between Kurt and Rachel.

Rachel is still all up Brody’s butt and wants Kurt to find a new bf fast so the 4 of them can go on double dates. Kurt thinks there might be something with Adam — after all, Adam compliments his plié — but he doesn’t want to jinx it. Rachel tells Kurt he’s a catch and it’s time for him to put himself out there. Kurt should ask this guy out! It will be worth the risk! There’s nothing like being in love in New York. Love, already? Kurt questions. Rachel says this isn’t like high school (ok, yeah we get it, this isn’t high school. Enough references.) and things move fast in the city. “Says the girl who almost got married before graduation,” Kurt shouts after her. Ha. Can’t live that one down, New-Rachel.

…As Lauren and Sugar take Coach Beiste’s advice and go out on the dance floor to ask guys to dance, we cut to New York, where Adam asks Kurt some mashup…And they all seize their chances.

Lauren asks Joe to dance. Sugar asks Artie to dance (aw!) and Kurt asks Adam to get a drink or a coffee sometime. Adam gives Kurt his number. YAY.

At the dance, Tina and Blaine are having a great time. Blaine tells Tina that her new attitude is empowering (I like Happy Tina better than sullen/jealous Tina). Tina, of course, loves everything about Blaine. Then, they almost kiss? Maybe? But things are interrupted by Sam, who apparently has a break in the case! “This is bigger than all of us,” Blaine tells Tina as he follows HIS crush out of the gym. Tina’s all sad again.

Brittany reminds everyone not to eat the snowflakes, because they are fake. Then the girls break into “Locked Out of Heaven” (Bruno Mars). Marley and Unique take the lead. This is better than their previous pairing earlier this season, they compliment each other this time and this is such a fun song. I’m not sure which song I like better – Scrubs or Locked Out of Heaven. What do you think?

Out on the dance floor, Puck and Kitty are actually getting along. (BTW, Kitty looks beautiful with her hair down). And Kitty read Puck’s screenplay! (Although she advises him to use spell check). It’s about the pool boy at the White House and he is the only one who can save the president from aliens. Kitty is actually really nice in this scene, telling Puck he has promise and can be a screen writer. She then invites him to her car so they can have at each other in the backseat. Puck wants it to be quick so he can have Sonic Burger afterwards, and that closes in an hour. EW, AGAIN.

Sam and Blaine show their proof to Finn, but Finn says he’s already looked into it and it’s a weight-training program that the Warblers stole from Vocal Adrenaline. Sam tells Finn that the average male gains up to 2 lbs of muscle a month. And that’s without cheating. They also have a video of one of the Warblers displaying “roid-rage.” Blaine pulls out the rule book (I thought only Sue had a copy of that thing) and points out that any team caught using performance-enhancing drugs — including Four Loko — will have to forfeit. And then Glee Club would get the spot. “BLAM!” Finn is reluctant, but there isn’t enough real proof to go after a well-respected rival glee club. Until Blaine brings out Trenton. Blaine and Trenton joined the Warblers together, it was a band of brothers. But after Blaine left, Sebastian and Hunter chipped away at everything that was good and special about the group. Winning was everything, you took the shots or you didn’t perform. But Trenton couldn’t handle it; his hormones couldn’t handle heroic doses of testosterone. He doesn’t want to betray the Warblers — but Blaine says that Trenton isn’t the one who betrayed them, Hunter is. Trenton is just saving them. (That’s what they said about Brutus). Trenton says he doesn’t want to go public because it will ruin the Warblers’ reputation. Finn, Blaine and Sam encourage Trenton to testify against the Warblers.

In Bushwick, Brody knocks on Rachel’s door, albeit 45 minutes late. Rachel is MAD. Normally she would have just smiled and reheated Brody’s turkey burger up for him, but she’s tired of taking of whatever scraps she can get in her personal life. Brody apologizes and says the train was late. “You should have left earlier,” Rachel counters. Brody says Rachel is right and gives some (in my opinion, lame) apology about waiting all night on a freezing train platform if it meant he could see Rachel. (I still don’t like Brody. I think he’s shady). Well, anyway, they wind up dancing as Ryder, Finn, Artie and Joe sing “I Only Have Eyes for You” (Flamingos). Ryder sounds great! And the Cheerio in the neck brace smiles at him. Meanwhile, Jake agrees to Marley’s request, he doesn’t want to be with anyone else but her! Yay!

Blaine rushes back in, tells Tina he may have just saved the Glee Club, and asks Tina to slow dance. (He looks so Mad Men in his tux! Love it!). Although he eyes up Sam as he does.

Oh, Brody promises to never be late again. He’ll get an apartment in Bushwick. Rachel counters: “Why don’t you just move in?”

At the meeting of Too Young to Be Bitter, everyone is thankful for the dance. Everyone had great success! (although Tina calls Blaine the love her life, which kind of saddens me).

Next week Marley and Jake kiss, Brittany gets a near-perfect SAT score — what?– Santana goes to NYC and tells Rachel not to do a nude scene, and apparently Sue will do a centerfold? Stay tuned.

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